Single wheel garden and truck tractor drive



Feb. 23, 1954 w c v 2,670,052

SINGLE WHEEL. GARDEN AND TRUCK TRACTOR DRIVE Filed June 28, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 II I I x I. u u I I 87 v L 52 so 40 WIY/iam J. Graver INVENTOR.

Mm Y w mw Feb. 23, 1954 w J, c v R 2,670,052

SINGLE WHEEL GARDEN AND TRUCK TRACTOR DRIVE Filed June 28, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 68 Fig.4

4 65 a 6 62 as ff fim \W/ m v William J. Graver 'NVENTOR.

% BY Mm Patented Feb. 23, 1954 aumreo STATES rare-NT oFFIoE v e SINGLE WHEEL GARDEN AND TRUCK 1 LGIaim. 1

This 'inventioncomprises novel and useful -im provements'ina garden and truck tractor and -m'ore specifically pertains to a light weight gar- =dentractor of the type comprising a single wheel togetherwith handles for maneuvering the "tractor.

The'primary' object of this invention is to provide ari-improved'garden tractor and especially -to improve-"thepower-or driving means of the tractor.

A' furtherimportant-object of the invention is to provide'an improved arrangement of a-power -plant'and -tractionwheelfor the tractor wherein the-traction wheel surrounds and is rotatable I about the power plant and is driven thereby in novel manner.

Astillfurther object-"of the invention is to provide an improved garden tractor of the character above set forth wherein the controls of the power plant may be conveniently mounted upon the handles of-the tractor; wherein the single wheel of the tractor, constituting a trac- -tion whee1,- is 'rotatively mounted about the power plant and, driven thereby in an improved manner.

1 These, together with various ancillary features I and objects of the-invention, which will later become apparent as the 'followingdescription proceeds; are attained by the present invention,

a preferred embodiment of whichis being illustratedflby way'of-example, in the accompanyingdrawingawherein:

"Figure 1' is a side el'evational'view of an illustrative embodiment of thepr-inciples of this invention;

Figure 2;.is a top 40i Figurefl, part of the control mechanism being '2. a' omitted-in. the interest of clarity;

1' *Figure 3,is a side elevational view, upon an a'zgshown in section, of themechanism for 'rotatively supporting and driving the traction wheel of the tractor; and

Figure 4 is a sectional detail view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 4-4 of Figure 1 and showing further details of the mounting and driving means for the traction wheel.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, it will be seen that the improved farm tractor in accordance with this invention is indicated generally by the numeral Ill. The tractor includes a frame work consisting of a base indiplan viewof the arrangement enlarged :scale, parts being broken, away and coated: generally byitheznumeral l2-,;.;supp.orting standards indicated generally bylthe; numeral-ii 4 and mounted upon the base, tQgBthBI'LiM/ith? a handle, assemblyrindicated generally; byrthe; nu-

merals It.

The base 52 consists ofnan opengf-rameirwprk comprising: a pair of: longitudinal; horizontally disposed frame members! 8: which are connected across their ends byztransverse'members ;:and Z2 at the frontand sreareends zrespectivelygsand by intermediate transverseimembers; i24-aras. de-

. sired. The base. thus.constitutes:zaniaopemisupporting frame wcrlr of. light weight ir andcwhich may conveniently be: formed ofictubulani membars as, illustrated.

. Astandard .M. is provided :uponseach otithe longitudinal. members it each standardl-consist- .ing of a pair .of .verticalmembers 2B *and 28rconnested across their tops.- bya longitudina1:.-:top

memberdii. i

The handle assembly 16 comprises. ampaimof rearwardly diverging and upwardly inclin'ed handlebars 32,.-:which at theirvlower-wor sinner ends are secured. to the I standard members 1-28 :in convenient. manner,- and areprovidedi at theiriupperends with handgrip portionsfit with a transverse brace member .35. LConvenientlys a gasoline. ta'nir 3ii may' -be mounted .-.by.= suitable brackets it} upon the handle bars sa -ma con- -venient position thereon." -The handle: bars are :braced upon the horizontal 'frame members? ofthebase as by upstanding brackets ll.

I Mounted ina convenient manner upon' -the base and between and carried by'=horizontal frame members :ls'th-ereoi is amotor id er-any *desired type, which may conveniently-comprise an air cooled internal combustion 'engin be supplied by fuel from iuel line iEi and the hand control valve "48 the'rof. Suitable controls, not 'shown,-may be connected *With the throttle valve of the -engineand r'nay F. a type, and whiclr may the-tank Sites by the conventional and known beconveniently mounted =up0n"one of the' handle bars 32 for easy manipulation by the operator.

Four axles 5B, 559, 50 and 52 are journalled between the standard members 26, 26 and 28, 28, these axles being disposed in parallel relation and extending transversely of the frame and surrounding and being disposed upon opposite sides of the engine 64. The axle 52, constitutes the drive shaft of the tractor, and is journalled adjacent the upper end of the pair of standards 26 on the two horizontal frame members [8. Upon one end, the drive shaft 52 is provided with a driving sprocket gear 54, and between the standard members 26 is provided with a pair of sprocket gears 58. Disposed between the sprocket gear 56 are a pair of supportin rollers 58, all these members being fixedly secured to the drive shaft 52. The other shafts Ell are identical with the shaft 52 except that the sprocket gears d and 56 are omitted therefrom.

The tractor is provided with a single wheel which constitutes its sole supporting and traction means. This wheel may conveniently comprise an annular rim 513 having an annular drum center portion 62 upon the opposite sides of which are provided annular bearing shoulders 65. A conventional rubber tire and tube 66 and 68 respectively are mounted upon the rim in the usual manner.

The parts are so proportioned and so arranged that the rim surrounds the internal combustion engine and has its drop center portion 62 disposed between the pairs of rollers 58 on each of the four shafts, and has its journalled or bearing shoulders 8i revolubly mounted upon the rollers 58.

i In order to drive the traction wheel, the opposite sides of the rim SQ are provided with sets of laterally outwardly extending pins it. These pins are disposed for engagement by the sprocket gears 58 whereby when the drive shaft 52 i re tated and subsequently set forth, positive rotation will be imparted to the traction wheel.

A reduction gearing connecting means is provided for operatively connecting the drive shaft of the motor 44 withthe drive shaft 52 of the traction wheel. This connecting means may conveniently comprise a drive pulley 12, see Figures 1 and 2, which is operatively connected with a driving belt 74 with a driven pulley "it carried by a shaft 18 mounted in suitable journal boxes or bearings 80 upon a top member 3% of the standards. A conventional form of clutch member, indicated generally by the numeral 82 is operatively interposed between the pulley l2 and the shaft of the motor, whereby the motor may be selectively connected with or disconnected from the driving pulley 12. This clutch member 82 is provided with a control part 84 having a handle portion 85 secured to the upper end of the tractor frame handle 32 as shown inFigure 1.

The shaft 18 is provided at its extremity with a sprocket gear 88, and the same is connected by a sprocket chain 9% to the above mentioned driving sprocket 54. It will thus be apparent that there is provided a reduction gearing assembly whereby the power of the motor id is transmitted directly to the rim 6d of the traction wheel 66 through the control of a clutch member.

Various agricultural implements may be mounted upon the base !2 of the tractor, or upon the rearward transverse bar 22 which may constitute an implement or draw bar of the tractor. One suggested means for mounting implements 4 may comprise clamping brackets 92 adjustably securing the shank portions 94 of implement holders 96 to the frame of the tractor, the implement holders being provided with various selected implements such as is indicated at 98.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the arrangement of the single wheel of the tractor about the power plant will materially reduce the over-all dimensions of the machine enabling the same to be conveniently manipulated in gardens or the like between close rows of produce. Moreover, it will be apparent that the shaft of the motor, the supporting shafts and the driving shaft of the traction wheel are all disposed eccentrically of the axes of rotation of the same, thereby enabling the device to be greatly lowered with respect to its center of gravity.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. Howevcr, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claim.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A garden tractor comprising a frame, a motor mounted on said frame, parallel axles journaled on said. frame, pairs of supporting rollers on axles, a traction wheel surrounding said motor and axles and having a rim revolubly mounted on said pairs of rollers, an annular series of pins extending laterally from each side of said rim and constituting driving means therefor, and connecting means operatively interposed between said motor and said series of pins, one of said axles constituting a drive shaft and having a pair of gears each engaging one of said series of pins, said connecting means engaging said drive shaft, said connecting means including a speed reduction gearing, said traction rim having an annular drop center and annular bearing shoulders on opposite sides of said drop center, said rollers of each pair engaging said bearing shoulders, said shoulders being between said pins and said drop center.

U WILLIAM J. CRAVER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 1,2?-5,106 Trussell 1. Aug. 6, 1918 1,282,329 Turner Oct. 22, 1918 1,322,028 Lehman et al. Nov. 18, 1919 1,819,924 Seppola i Aug. 18, 1931 2,042,714 Hunt June 2, 1936 2,545,781 Hesterberg Mar. 20, 1951 

